Editorial

Cigarette Excise Tax Increase Is Not Good For Nebraska, And Here’s Why

Published by jason@omahadail... on Fri, 02/23/2024 - 4:00am

During my time in the Nebraska Legislature, including time as chairman of the Revenue Committee, I witnessed many attempts to increase the state’s cigarette excise tax. These attempts were often accompanied by well-meaning arguments for improved public health, but they were always driven by an ambition to increase state tax revenues for one purpose or another.

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The Next Great Biofuels Revolution

Published by jason@omahadail... on Wed, 02/21/2024 - 4:00am

Almost two decades ago, the advent of the Renewable Fuel Standard led to an economic revolution in rural Midwestern communities. Biofuel plants popped up across Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota and other states. Good-paying jobs came with them along with private sector price support for one of America’s most important commodities.

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Believing Professionals Doing Professional Things

Published by jason@omahadail... on Tue, 02/20/2024 - 4:00am

Now that the Super Bowl is over and we’ve survived Taylor Swift’s attempt to undo the Republic, perhaps we should consider more mundane endeavors.

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If The People Lead The Leaders Will Follow

Published by jason@omahadail... on Mon, 02/19/2024 - 4:00am

On one hand I have to give Governor Pillen a lot of credit. It takes guts for a politician to admit that they are wrong these days and change course. Though he never uttered the word, Governor Pillen admitted he was wrong when he decided to enroll the state of Nebraska into a Federal Governments program to help feed children during the summer months.

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Changing Clocks Annoying? Might Fixes Be Worse?

Published by jason@omahadail... on Wed, 02/14/2024 - 4:00am

Likely you’ve heard of the “law of unintended consequences”: Anything we humans do yields effects we don’t intend or expect.

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A Roadmap To Help Men Of Color Thrive As Leaders At Their Schools And Districts

Published by jason@omahadail... on Tue, 02/13/2024 - 4:00am

What students see is what they become. As school system officials, we want all young people to become leaders who make a positive difference in the world, no matter their next steps in life.

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Uncensored: The Chocolate War

Published by josie@omahadail... on Mon, 02/12/2024 - 9:41am

Continuing to look at books that have been banned across the United States, we are looking this time at ‘The Chocolate War’ by Robert Cormier. Published in 1974, this book has been continuously put on the Top Ten Most Banned Books across the country for its themes of violence, sexual ideas held by teenagers, language and criticisms of the Catholic Church.

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Double-Edged Oath

Published by josie@omahadail... on Mon, 02/12/2024 - 7:32am

I had an interesting random thought the other day — I doubt it will go anywhere politically but I think it’s a valid point — that I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on the matter.

So, hear me out.

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Do You Feel Safer?

Published by josie@omahadail... on Wed, 02/07/2024 - 9:00am

Alabama put a man to death on Thursday.

Eyewitnesses in Atmore saw him convulse and gasp for air in his last minutes on Earth.

And I have a question.

Do you feel safer?

I’m not asking about Kenneth Eugene Smith’s guilt in the 1988 murder-for-hire of Elizabeth Sennett. If he weren’t executed last week, he would have spent his life behind bars with an infinitesimal chance of ever coming out.

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A System And Discipline

Published by josie@omahadail... on Wed, 02/07/2024 - 8:47am

I remember when I attended my first seminar back in the 80’s the speaker said you have to have a system and discipline. I knew what the system was because he was teaching it. But I did not know what the discipline was until I began to apply the system. The discipline is that you have to take the action to make the system work properly. Through months and years of trial and error, I now know what he meant by discipline. I had to discipline myself to always take action, even when I didn’t feel like it.